Daniel Cintron-Santiago

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Daniel Cintrón Santiago, on May 1, 2023, at the age of 95. A viewing will be held on June 5, 2023, at 10:30 AM at Sunset Memorial Park & Funeral Home, located at 1701 Austin Highway, San Antonio, TX 78218. The funeral and burial at Fort Sam Cemetery will follow afterwards. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you donate money to Project Mend, an organization that helps people get medical equipment they could not otherwise afford.

Daniel was born on July 10, 1927, in Naranjito, Puerto Rico. He grew up in a humble home with what ultimately amounted to a total of 11 siblings. Daniel’s father, a police officer, died in the line of duty when Daniel was young. As one of the older boys in the family, he took over the role of man of the house until his mother remarried. Daniel had fond memories of growing up in “el campo” and would often offer vignettes from his quainter years when inspiration struck. Daniel met his wife, Celia, in 1951 and got married in 1952. As he told the story, much to the amusement of his grandchildren, his interest in Celia was piqued by her hairy legs. In 1953, Daniel Cintron Jr was born. Afterwards, Daniel was drafted into the US Army. He was supposed to go to Panama to learn to be an Army chef, but due to an accident and a subsequent injury, he had to stay behind when the boat from Puerto Rico to Panama left. When he recovered, he was sent off to fight in the Korean War. He served with other Puerto Ricans in his regiment which had a lasting impact on his view of the world because it was then that he encountered institutional racism from some of his superiors and peers. He overcame the challenges of being treated like a second-class soldier, survived the war, and returned home to the island. A while after his homecoming, his daughter, Illiam, was born in 1955.

Daniel worked in a factory as a sweater designer and mechanic for years. He worked hard, had good relationships with his coworkers, and made enough money to support the family. In 1962, he moved the family to New York to provide additional educational and vocational opportunities for his children. His son and daughter earned master's degrees in electrical engineering and education, respectively. He instilled the importance of academic achievement as being crucial to success and stability to his children and grandchildren.

Daniel was a pillar of strength and support for his family, always putting their needs before his own. When his daughter, Illiam, went through a difficult divorce, he and Celia moved down from New York to help her raise her children. From that moment on, Daniel and Celia became surrogate parents to their two grandchildren and gave them love, warmth, and support. This was not the first time that Daniel had come to the aid of family members in need. When his sister, Juanin, lost her husband he became a surrogate father to her children.

Daniel had a strong personality; many would have dared to call him stubborn. He also had a sense of humor that was often in opposition to the serious nature with which he viewed many things in the world. The combination of the two made him an extremely resilient person. Daniel had three brain surgeries in his life in addition to a knee replacement in his 80s and a hip replacement in his 90s. He was fiercely independent, and this deeply ingrained sense of autonomy and duty pushed him through life’s challenges with what appeared to be relative ease.

He enjoyed working with his hands and could often be found in the shed behind his house or under the hood of his ancient 1994 Taurus that somehow managed to make it thru almost 30 years on the road, complete with spinner tires (an accidental purchase) and duct tape holding the bumper up. The juxtaposition of the shiny, flamboyant tires and tacky bumper repair job often garnered chuckles from his grandchildren who applauded his shameless sense of practicality only if they weren’t getting a ride from him.

Daniel was never too far from his faithful companion, Sami. When Daniel’s granddaughter suggested the idea of acquiring a dog to keep them company, he balked at how hard it was to lose a dog and how expensive they were. He showed little interest in being involved in the acquisition of a dog, so Celia went solo to the shelter with their granddaughter Illiana to bring home the new family member. Not even a few weeks later, it was clear that Sami was Daniel’s dog. Sami was a naughty troublemaker that kept Daniel on his toes through his senior years and was by his side until the very end.

We will always remember the special moments we shared with Daniel, from family outings to Sea Island to reminding him that he forgot to put on his suspenders. His laughter, his smile, and his unwavering love will forever be cherished by his family.

Daniel will be greatly missed, but his legacy will live on through his grandchildren, great grandchild, nieces, and nephews. His dedication to his family, his strength, and his love will never be forgotten.

Daniel is predeceased by his son, Daniel Junior and his wife, Celia. He is survived by his daughter, Illiam; grandchildren, Illiana Quimbaya (Coral), Omar Quimbaya (Becky), Jennifer Cintrón, and Jason Cintrón; great-granddaughter Jade; his sisters, Juanin, Angelita, Milagros, Toña, and Migdalia; and his many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He has a big, beautiful family who will all miss him dearly.

Rest in peace, Abuelo (Wewo). Te queremos para siempre.